Keeper



F. B. PAYNE Dec. 12, 1950 KEEPER Filed June 28, 1946 lln /26 M W dPatented Dec. l2, i950 UNITED STES Arent ortica 3 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to locks and latches, and hasmore particular reference to lock structures oi the sort adapted to beopened, in emergency, without key, from one side of a locked closuremember with which the lock structure is associated.

The structure of the present invention is particularly adapted for usein locking doors, windows, or other closure members opening frombathrooms and other closets or compartments, in which the closure memberis provided for locking the same for the purpose oi assuring privacy, orfor other' purposes. Particularly where snap, or other self-locking,mechanisms are employed, there is danger of becoming locked within thecompartment, in the absence of key means for releasing the lockstructure; and the present invention has for an important object theprovision of a locking structure having simn ple, easily operated meansfor releasing a locked closure member from Within a compartment servedthereby, in the event that the normal releasing key becomes lost orotherwise unavailable.

Another important object of the invention is to provide lock releasingmeans of the character mentioned, the operation of which, to release thelocked closure member for opening movement, will not damage in any waythe lock structure or the structure of the closure member and itscooperating frame.

Another important object 'is tc provide a releasable lock structure,embodying conventional lock bolt means and a keeper' for receiving thebolt when in locked position, the keeper being releasably mounted in thestructure of the clostire means in fashion permitting the same to bereleased readily from mounted locking position, in response tomanipulation of releasing means accessible on one side of the closurestructure only.

Another important object is to provide a releasable lock structure,including a keeper member normally mounted in position to lockinglyenga-ge a cooperating bolt mechanism or any preferred structure, andadapted to operate for the locking and unlocking of the closure memberin conventional fashion, the keeper member being detachable fromoperating position, so that the closure member may be opened while thebolt mechanism remains lockingly engaged with the keeper member; afurther object being to normally anchor the keeper member in operatingpositionv by releasable. screw threaded means manually operable from theinner side of i.;

2 the closure structure, with which the lock mechanism and releasablekeeper plate are operatively associated.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects, advantages, andinherent functions of the invention will become apparent as the same ismore fully understood from the following detion of the closure structureshown in Fig. 1, in-

cluding releasable keeper .means embodying the present invention.

To illustrate the invention, the drawings show a Wall structure IIforming a part of a closet,

cabinet, compartment, or room, the wall strueture having an opening I'2defined by a frame I3. A movable closure member or door I4 is hinged, asat I5, for swinging movement at one edge of the opening I2, whereby thedoor i4 may .be closed in the frame I3, or swung to the open positionshown, in order to permit ingress or egress to and from the compartmentenclosed by the walls II. as a stationary closure member, in cooperationwith the movable closure member Ill. A latch or bolt mechanism I6, ofany suitable, preferred or conventional form, may be provided, suchstructure including bolt means Il adapted to be projected and retracted,as by manually operable means, which conveniently may take the of a lockactuating key, whereby to lockingly and releasingly engage the bolt ilwith cooperating keeper means I8, when the door is in closed position.Obviously, the bolt mechanism may be mounted on either of the closuremembers I3 and I4, the keeper I3 being mounted on the other.

It will be apparent, of course, that the invention is not necessarilylimited to doors, but may be applied to closure structures for windowsand other openings. It will be obvious, also, that the invention is notnecessarily limited in application to hinged closure members, and may beadapted to arrangements in which the lock structure I6 is mounted in theframe i3, While the Y. keeper means I8 is mounted on the movable cle-The `frame i3, thus, functions sure member of the combination. As shown,however, the lock structure I6 is applied to the swinging edge of thedoor I4, in position to lockingly engage the keeper I6 which is mountedon the door frame I3.

The invention contemplates mounting means I9 for securing the keeper I8normally in operative position on one of the closure members, such asthe frame I3, for locking and unlocking cooperation with the ibolt ofthe locking mechanism I6, the mounting means being operable from oneside of the closure structure only, to release the keeper I8 frommounted position, in order that the movable closure member may move touncover` the opening I2, while the bolt Il remains lockingly engagedwith the keeper I8. Where the keeper` is normally carried by the :frameI3, it will, when released, move in engagement with the bolt I'I withthe member I4, thereby permitting the same to open. Where, however,

the keeper I8 is mounted on the movable closure member, release thereofwill allow the closure member to open, leaving the keeper on thestationary closure member I3 in position locked with the bolt I1.

To this end, as shown in the drawings, the keeper I8 may comprise aplate 20 formed with an opening 2| for lockingly receiving the bolt I'I,in order to lock the closure member I4 in closed position in the frameI3. The plate 23 is snugly tted into a seat 22 formed in the closuremember on which it is mounted, the plate in the illustrated embodimentbeing fitted in the seat 22 formed in the frame I3. The plate 26 has apreferably integral extension 23, which projects upon and overlies theside of the frame element facing outwardly of the closure structure, theclosure member on which the keeper plate is mounted being preferablyformed with a seat 22 for receiving said extension 23, so that all ofthe exposed surfaces of the plate and its extension may be flush withthe surfaces of the closure member on which mounted. The extension 23carries an anchoring portion 24 which normally extends freely in anopening 25 formed through the closure member on which the keeper ismounted, said anchoring portion preferably comprising an internallyscrew threaded sleeve member extending in a direction substantiallyparallel with the plane of the keeper plate 26.

In order to hold the keeper I8 in closure locking position, a threadedstem 26 is provided having a threaded end adapted for engagement withthe threaded sleeve 24, said stern extending thence through the closuremember and having its remote end projecting at the surface of theclosure member remote from the plate projection 23. Said projecting endof the stem is provided with manually operable means, such as the knob21, whereby the stem 23 may be readily unthreaded and, thus,disconnected from the sleeve 24.

It will be seen that the knob 2 is readily accessible only from one sideof the closure structure. As a consequence, when the movable closuremember I4 is in locked position in the stationary closure member I3, itmay be released for opening movement, in the absence of key means foroperating the lock structure I6, only by manipulation of the knob 2lfrom one side of the closure structure only. By operating the knob 21 todisconnect the stem 26 from the sleeve 24, however, the keeper I8 may bereleased from the closure member on which mounted. Upon such release ofthe keeper, the movable closure member may be opened by drawing thekeeper from its seat, the keeper remaining in locked engagement with thebolt. No damage, however, is done either to the closure structure or tothe lock mechanism, and the keeper plate thereafter may e immediatelyremounted in operative position by replacing it on the carrying memberof the closure structure and re-threading the stem 26 into place. Whenin holding position, the stem 26 serves to clamp the keeper I8 inoperative position, the extension 23 being clampingly held upon one faceof the closure member by action of the stem 26, the knob or head 21 ofwhich clampingly engages the opposite face of the closure member I3.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantageswill be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it isobvious that numerous changes may be made in the for. construction andarrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages,the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purposeof illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. A keeper comprising a plate having striker and mounting portionsextending substantially at right angles, the one with respect to theother, said striker portion having a latch engaging shoulder' formedtherein, and said mounting portion having a threaded opening, a threadedanchor stem adapted to engage in said opening in spaced apart,substantially parallel relation with respect to said striker portion,whereby said keeper may be mounted upon a door frame with the saidkeeper portion lying in the inwardly facing door-jamb surface of thedoor frame, adjacent and on one side of the door stopping seat of saidframe and with the mounting portion extending in the adjacent frameface, on one side thereof, in position to receive the anchor stem insaid opening and to support the same in position extending thencethrough the door frame to the opposite side thereof, and means forming ahead on said stem in position to seat on the frame face at said oppositeside of the frame to secure the keeper' in mounted position on thedoor-j amb.

2. A keeper as set forth in claim l, wherein said opening for receivingthe anchor stem is formed in a boss on the mounting portion of the plateand extending therefrom in spaced relation with respect to said strikerportion.

3. A keeper comprising a plate having striker and mounting portionsextending substantially at right angles, the one with respect to theother, said striker portion having a latch engaging shoulder formedtherein, means forming a fingerlike boss on said mounting portion inposition disposed inwardly of and substantially parallel with respect tosaid striker portion. whereby sad` keeper may be mounted on a door framewith the said keeper portion lying in the inwardly c facing door-jambsurface of the door frame, ad-

jacent and on one side of the door stopping seat of said frame, with thesaid mounting portion extending in the adjacent frame face, on one sidethereof, and with the boss extending in an opening in the frame behindsaid frame face, said boss being formed with screw threads, acorrespondingly threaded anchor stem, formed for threaded engagementwith the screw threads of said boss whereby to secure the stem in theboss in position extending thence through the 5 door frame to theopposite side thereof, and means forming a head on said stem in positionto seat on the frame face at said opposite side of the frame to securethe keeper in mounted position on the door-jamb.

FRANK B. PAYNE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

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